US 2007/0209795 discloses that lightweight polyamide particulates may be used in treatment of subterranean formations, including hydraulic fracturing and sand control methods, such as gravel packing. The polyamide particulates typically have an apparent specific gravity (ASG) between from about 1.05 to about 2.0 and are stable at temperatures up to 500° C. The polyamide particulates may be used in combination with a filler which further serves to increase the strength and temperature stability of the resulting composite. Fracture conductivity may be increased by the placement of the low density polyamide particulates as a partial monolayer.
US 2008/0196628 discloses a method which includes placing a cement composition in a subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition includes cement, rock-forming mineral materials, and water, and permitting the cement composition to set therein. A disclosed composition includes cement, rock-forming mineral materials and water.
WO 2007/035707 discloses a well cement composition for plugging a bore at the location for initiating sidetracking to bore a lateral well is formulated as a slurry of hydraulic cement that contains at least two, but preferably all three of the following additives: (1) a source of silicon dioxide, (2) fracturing proppants and (3) an expansion compound selected from the group consisting of 1%-5% crystalline silica and 60%-99% MgO or CaO, and their mixtures.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,523 discloses a system for treating wells in which a formation fracturing process is carried out.
Hydraulic fracturing is a process that results in the creation of fractures in rocks. An important industrial use of hydraulic fracturing is stimulating oil and gas wells. The fracturing is done from a bore hole (wellbore) drilled into reservoir rock formations to enhance oil and natural gas recovery. Hydraulic fractures may be natural or man-made and are extended by internal fluid pressure which opens the fracture and causes it to grow into the rock. Man-made fluid-driven fractures are formed at depth in a bore hole and extend into targeted rock formations. The fracture width is typically maintained after the injection by introducing a fracturing material (proppant) into the injected fluid. Fracturing materials prevents the fractures from closing when the injection is stopped. The technique of hydraulic fracturing is used to increase or restore the rate at which fluids, such as oil, gas or water, can be produced from a reservoir, including reservoirs such as shale rock or coal beds.
Hydraulic fracturing enables the production of natural gas and oil from rock formations deep below the earth's surface. At such depth, there may not be sufficient permeability to allow natural gas and oil to flow from the rock into the well bore and be recovered. For example, creating conductive fractures in the rock is essential to produce gas from reservoirs with extremely low permeability (e.g. shale reservoirs). The fracture provides a conductive path connecting a larger area of the reservoir to the well, thereby increasing the area from which natural gas and liquids can be recovered from the targeted formation.
Conventionally used fracturing fluid is formed of suspended particles in a carrier fluid and is used to hold fractures open after a hydraulic fracturing treatment, thus producing a conductive pathway that fluids can properly flow along. Naturally occurring grain minerals or man-made material (e.g. ceramics) are common proppants used.
However, conventional fracturing material is only of limited value in formations in which an exploitation fluid (such as oil or gas) is included only in small gaps or small quantity within the formation.